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High House of Light
The High House of Light (D4) was formerly Kyuden Hoshi, The Atlas of Rokugan, p. 75 Kyuden Hitomi and before then Kyuden Togashi, the oldest palace of the Dragon Clan. Strike At Midnight: The Twenty-seven Days of Darkness It was the chief monastery for the tattoed orders of the Dragon Clan, which had been popular figures in Rokugani litterature. The Ise Zumi rarely ventured outside their monastic castles, but when they did their bizarre actions reflected their unexplainable attunement to the Five Elements. Legend of the Five Rings: Third Edition, p. 290 It was located within the Togashi provinces. Secrets of the Dragon, p. 96 Old Road The Dragon Way was the road that lead up to the palace, a sharp-angled steep climb, and any armored man attempting the climb would surely fall. Roleplaying in the Emerald Empire, p. 237 The old road to the castle when it was known as Kyuden Togashi could be seen on maps leading from Shiro Kitsuki to the castle. In actuality the road continued only for a few miles more before ending abruptly. There were rumors of a hidden path, but they were only rumors. There was no true path to Kyuden Togashi, and each of those who made their way to the palace had to find their own way. Travelers who were seeking the palace told stories of how they had the palace in sight, then lost it in a passing mist. Way of the Dragon, p. 19 Appearance To those few who actually found their way to Kyuden Togashi it had been described in many different ways. Some said it had to have been carved out of the side of the mountain itself, while others claimed to have found it at the bottom of a ravine, surrounded by waterfalls. This led some to speculate that Kyuden Togashi was in fact several smaller castles, and with so many different ways to approach the castles there would be many different accounts of what it looked like. Way of the Dragon, pp. 19-20 Castle Layout The caslle had been sculpted directly from the face of one of the highest mountains in the Great Wall of the North. It had three different levels, the lowest was occupied by the Kikage Zumi, the highest by the Ise Zumi, and the Tsurai Zumi had no desiganted hearquarters. Secrets of the Dragon, pp. 67-68 The very lowest level was once storerooms, but were since converted into numerous small, unmarked shrines that were lit and accessible at all times. The middle section was the most commonly seen and used. There were ostentatiously decorated temples to the major Fortunes, and the Kami (including Ryoshun but excluding Togashi and Fu Leng). The very highest levels of Kyuden Togashi were simply meditation chambers that were built to be open to the elements. The monks were expected to meditate in these rooms daily, even in the worst of weather. Outside the castle, the monks maintained beautiful gardens for relaxation and meditation. Masters of Magic, p. 23 The gardens were built shaping a confusing maze, who many found impossible to follow, and they were used to test students of the Open Eye Dojo, future Kitsuki Investigators. Way of the Ninja, p. 80 The castle's interior was a dark maze of seemingly random, interlocking chambers. Some were shrines, some meditation rooms, and many served no immediately obvious purpose. Broken Tiger, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Cavern Library Deep under the castle there was a single vaulted cavern which contained hundred of thousands of scrolls, the Chronicle of Rokugan, written by the Kami Togashi since the Dawn of the Empire. Every event, from the smallest birth to the greatest battle, was recorded within these scrolls. Way of the Dragon, pp. 57, 65 Crystal Prison The Chamber of Crystal that once contained Shosuro was hidden within the lower levels beneath the kyuden. It was created in 82 by Togashi when she asked for his help in containing the power of the Lying Darkness inside of her. When Hitomi accidentally released Shosuro, the Chamber was destroyed. Secrets of the Scorpion, p. 7 Underground Lake There was an underground lake below the castle which bordered with Yume-do, making a passage to the Realm of Dreams. Fortunes & Winds, p. 97 Throne Room The throne room of Togashi contained one connecting points between Ningen-do and the Dragonlands, an unique portion of the Celestial Heavens where the Elemental Dragons resided. Book of Void, p. 95 Dojo and Testing Grounds The Mirumoto Bushi, Mirumoto Swordmaster, Student of the Tao, and Nightingale Samurai schools were taught alongside the Ise Zumi. Masters of Magic, p. 43 The Togashi Testing Grounds were an area of the mountains just beyond the High House of Light. Secrets of the Dragon, p. 68 Connection to the Dragonlands The throne room of the High House of Light existed simultaneously in both the Mortal Realm and the Dragonlands, the heavenly place where the dragons lived. Secrets of the Dragon, p. 92 Name of the Castle Over the years since the Day of Thunder, the kyuden went through a number of different name changes. Partially due to the madness caused by the Lying Darkness, Hitomi changed the name of Kyuden Togashi to Kyuden Hitomi. After she ceded the kyuden (and the clan) to Togashi Hoshi, the name Kyuden Togashi was restored, but many still called it Kyuden Hitomi, sometimes using both names in the same conversation. Visitors, in an attempt to avoid offense, would often call it the High House of Light instead. In the wake of the merger of the Hoshi and Hitomi into the Togashi, Togashi Satsu choose to make the neutral name High House of Light official, rather than mandating the term Kyuden Togashi. Masters of Magic, pp. 22-23 History Winter Court The Imperial Winter Court of 540 was held at the insistence of the deeply religious and devout Hantei XIII and against the advice of Togashi in the guise of Togashi Masahito. It was largely stricken from historical records due to the deaths of many guests in the mountain passes. Lion Invasion In the 6th century a Lion army marched all the way to the base of the mountain, where they were greeted by terrifying manifestations of the Elements. Kyuden Hitomi In 1129, in addition to casting off her own Mirumoto name, Hitomi went mad and commanded all those who bore the name Togashi to swear fealty to her. She changed the name of Kyuden Togashi to Kyuden Hitomi and slew all those who refused her decree. Secrets of the Dragon, p. 9 Storming of Mirumoto Mountain In 1132 Hoshi and his followers stormed the palace, Rulebook story (Siege of Sleeping Mountain) defeated Hitomi and he became the Dragon Clan Champion. Hidden Emperor, p. 42 For a brief time the palace would be known as Kyuden Hoshi. Yobanjin Siege In 1170 the Northern Towers of Flame were breached, the yobanjin, minions of the Dark Oracle of Fire Chosai had broken through. The line had been closed behind them, but there were enough trapped within Dragon to threaten the High House of Light. They were defeated by the castle defenders aided by the Brothers of Jade. Incursions, by Rusty Priske Destruction The castle was nearly overrun by Yobanjin forces at the beginning of the War of Dark Fire in the Siege of High House of Light. Despite defeating the invaders, the castle sustained critical damage and was put to the torch on the orders of Mirumoto Kei rather than allow it to be used by the Dark Oracle's forces. The War of Dark Fire, Part 2 by Shawn Carman Sisters of the Moon Somewhere north of the castle lay the Shrine to Lord Moon, which housed the three Sisters of the Moon. Way of the Dragon, p. 97 External Links * Kyuden Hitomi (Hidden Emperor 2) * The High House of Light (Lotus) Category:Mucha province Category:Articles with Pictures Category:Dragon Clan Dojo